§ Mr. Alfred Morrisasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in the light of the findings of the latest annual survey of the Association of Directors of Social Services that spending on social services for the elderly, disabled and others in special need will have to rise by between 4 and 6 per cent. a year if standards of service are not to fall, he will take steps to increase the resources available to social services departments to enable them to maintain standards of service; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. NewtonThe view that four per cent. to six per cent. growth is required in personal social services expenditure was expressed in a commentary by the honorary assistant secretary of the association: it was not a finding of the survey itself. Representatives of the local authority associations, including directors of social services, and central Government concluded last year that a minimum expenditure growth of two per cent. was needed to maintain existing standards of service in the face of growing numbers of the very elderly and other increasing pressures. On the basis of budgets for 1982–83, expenditure on personal social services will have grown by over nine per cent. in real terms over the four years since136W 1978–79. The Government's indicative service plans for local authority expenditure in 1983–84 give a lead of over two per cent. for personal social services as compared with the overall year-on-year change in provision for local authority services; and a relative priority for personal social services is maintained in the Government's indicative plans for later years.